United Kingdom

LEAK, a brand with deep roots in the history of audio innovation, was established by Harold Joseph Leak in 1934 in London, England. Known for its high-quality audio components, LEAK carved out a reputation for affordability combined with high performance, a hallmark that defined the brand for decades.

Harold Leak, identifying himself as a 'Sound Engineer – Technician,' alongside Ted Ashley, who became Chief Engineer, propelled LEAK to the forefront of the home audio equipment market. Together, they led the company through an era of significant technological advancements in amplifiers, loudspeakers, pickups, and turntables.

The mid-20th century was a transformative period for LEAK, as the brand navigated the challenges of wartime disruption to focus on developing purposeful audio technology. Post-war, the emphasis shifted towards high-fidelity systems, marking LEAK's entry into an era of low-noise, high-performance products that gained international acclaim.

A pivotal moment came in 1945 with the introduction of the LEAK Type 15 amplifier, which featured innovative 'negative feedback' and 'push-pull' triode connected KT66 valves, achieving an impressive 15 watts output. This product laid the groundwork for the brand's reputation in high-fidelity sound reproduction.

The late 1940s and 1950s saw LEAK introducing groundbreaking products like the TL/12, which became a standard for high-fidelity sound, and embarking on marketing campaigns that directly compared live versus reproduced music, showcasing the superior quality of LEAK systems. These efforts culminated in LEAK's products being adopted by prestigious institutions like the BBC.

Innovation continued with the introduction of the LEAK Sandwich loudspeaker in 1961, a design that utilized a novel approach to reduce vibrations and resonance, leading to more dynamic audio reproduction. This period also saw the development of the LEAK Stereo 30, a transition to transistor amplifiers that offered a more accessible price point to a broader audience.

Despite its innovations and contributions to the audio industry, LEAK faced challenges from global competition and changing market dynamics, eventually leading to the brand's acquisition by the Rank Organization in 1969 and a gradual fade from the forefront of the audio market.

After years of dormancy, LEAK was revived by the IAG Group, bringing the brand back to the market with a focus on blending classic styling with modern audio technology, ensuring LEAK's legacy continues for new generations of audiophiles.

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Leak

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When LEAK launched the iconic STEREO 30 in 1963, it swiftly became Britain’s favourite ‘step-up’ from the standard budget amplifiers of the time. Now, in the year 2020, LEAK harnesses the latest technology to deliver an affordable integrated amplifier of the same philosophy, the STEREO 130 – fully equipped to meet the demands of modern music lovers, from vinyl records to digital streaming.

The LEAK STEREO 130 is a high-performance, high-fidelity integrated amplifier for the modern-day audio enthusiast. It is designed to be the perfect match to a wide variety of both analogue and digital sources, thanks to its diversity of inputs. It features a built-in Moving Magnet (MM) phono pre-amplifier for direct connection to turntables and enables CD-quality audio streaming from any Bluetooth device via its innovative built-in aptX and AAC codec.

To fully accommodate the modern-day music enthusiast, the LEAK STEREO 130’s digital circuitry is crafted to deliver the quality expected from a high-performance stand-alone D/A converter, encompassing all the conveniences within an integrated amplifier solution. The amplifier is meticulously designed to align with the LEAK ethos of performance, reliability, and craftsmanship, marrying contemporary performance with classic LEAK styling.

The LEAK STEREO 130 employs a dedicated amplifier circuit with current-feedback technology for the headphone output, matching the performance of standalone headphone amplifiers beyond its price-class. It utilizes the acclaimed ES9018 Sabre32 Reference chip, featuring ESS Technology’s 32-bit HyperStream architecture and Time Domain Jitter Eliminator, providing ultra-low noise and high dynamic range for digital audio files up to 384kHz (PCM) and DSD256.

Stereo 130

by Leak

Harmonizing Heritage and Innovation: The Leak 130 and DIY Ojas

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